Utah State University: Cohort Default Rate   

The cohort default rate measures the percentage of borrowers from a particular group (or cohort) of USU students who have entered the repayment phase for their student loans during a specific federal fiscal year (from October 1 to September 30) and have subsequently defaulted on their loans or met other specified conditions before the end of the second following fiscal year.

This rate serves as an important metric for assessing student loan repayment outcomes and provides insight into borrower repayment trends. For prospective students, comparing cohort default rates across different schools can provide additional information when considering where to enroll. For a more detailed explanation of cohort default rates and the methodology used to calculate them, please consult the Cohort Default Rate Guide. 

USU Official Cohort Default Rates

Year	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014
National	0.4%**	0%*	0%*	2.10%	3.07%	7.30%	9.70%	10.10%	10.80%	11.50%
National 4-yr Public	0.2%**	0%*	0%*	1.0%	2.30%	5.40%	7.10%	6.80%	7.10%	7.50%
Utah	0.3%**	0%*	0%*	1.0%	2.12%	6.60%	8.86%	7.50%	7.68%	9.20%
Utah State University	0.1%**	0%*	0%*	0.01%	0.08%	3.60%	5.20%	5.70%	5.70%	5.60%

* FY 2021 and FY 2022 cohort default rates were significantly affected by the federal student loan payment pause.

** FY 2023 cohort default rates were also significantly affected by the federal student loan payment pause. The U.S. Department of Education advises that FY 2023 rates should be interpreted with caution because they may provide an overly favorable picture of borrower repayment outcomes.

Note: The FY 2023 Utah rate was calculated using aggregate borrower data for all Utah institutions included in the U.S. Department of Education's FY 2023 Official Cohort Default Rate school-level file.

References: 

FY 2023 Official National Student Loan Cohort Default Rate Briefing 
Official Cohort Default Rates for Schools 
Cohort Default Rate Guide 
Default Prevention and Management